Gu Yong had been in a foul mood lately.
With Xianyu Yin assisting him, managing the county's affairs had been relatively smooth at first. But ever since news of the imperial court's crushing defeat in Liangzhou spread, the officials in the prefecture had grown increasingly uncooperative—especially those from the Zhang family.
In the end, it came down to one thing: this young man from Jiangdong had yet to truly win their loyalty.
Fortunately, Xianyu Yin had stepped in to mediate, preventing the administration from grinding to a halt.
If it were only a matter of officials dragging their feet, Gu Yong could endure it.
But there was still no word from Zhang Xin.
That was what truly troubled him.
The longer Zhang Xin remained absent, the more restless all of Youzhou seemed to become. Liu Hua and the others even sent Wang Rou every day to inquire about any news.
After finishing a memorial, Gu Yong rubbed his temples, feeling both the strain of governance and a deep admiration for Zhang Xin.
Back then, Zhang Xin had come to Yuyang at just sixteen—an unrecognized rebel, lacking both legitimacy and authority. Surrounded by enemies, harassed by the Wuhuan and Xianbei, and always under threat from the Han army…
How did you survive those days, my lord? Gu Yong wondered. You were truly extraordinary…
Just then, a soldier entered.
"Registrar, something has come up."
"Speak." Gu Yong straightened immediately.
Before leaving, Zhang Xin had arranged for former Yellow Turban followers to remain in the prefectural office under Gu Yong's command. On the surface, they were guards—but in truth, they were there to monitor Zhang Fang and the Zhang family.
The soldier lowered his voice. "Last night, several of the Zhang family's servants quietly left their estate outside the city. They rode off on fast horses and vanished without a trace."
Gu Yong's expression darkened.
"So… the lord's suspicions were correct after all. The Zhang family intends to rebel?"
For months, Gu Yong had followed Zhang Xin's instructions and kept a close watch on them. From February until now—nearly five months—there had been no unusual activity. He had even begun to doubt whether Zhang Xin had been mistaken.
And yet, now…
Secretly sending servants out in the dead of night, in multiple directions—whether rebellion or not, this was highly abnormal.
Coupled with the recent defeat in Liangzhou, the lack of news from Zhang Xin, and the Zhang faction's growing defiance, the conclusion was almost certain.
The Zhang family was preparing to rise in revolt.
Gu Yong's mind raced.
If I were them, the first obstacle would be Gao Shun's troops.
"The county soldiers are battle-hardened," he muttered. "Even with several thousand household retainers, the Zhang family might not be able to defeat them. And there are still over two thousand former Yellow Turban troops stationed in Xincheng…"
"In that case, they'll try to seize control from within."
He looked up sharply. "Keep watching them. Report anything unusual immediately. Operate in groups of five—and make sure to leave hidden watchers behind."
"Yes."
After the soldier left, Gu Yong stepped outside and summoned a patrolman, ordering him to secretly bring Gao Shun.
At a time like this, the officials in the prefecture could not be trusted.
—
Zhang Residence.
In a side chamber, Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun sat facing each other.
"Brother… will this really work?" Zhang Ju asked uneasily. "Zhang Xin is formidable. What if he returns? Should we recall our men?"
Though he had once held high office, and could still maintain a facade of authority before others, the thought of facing Zhang Xin filled him with unease.
Zhang Chun smiled calmly. "There's no need to worry. It has been over two months since the disaster in Liangzhou. Zhang Xin is either dead or his entire army has been wiped out."
"When Zhang Fang returned home last time, he said Zhang Xin's wife has been sending servants daily to ask Gu Yong for news. If the army still existed, how could there be no word at all?"
Zhang Ju nodded slowly, his anxiety easing.
Zhang Chun continued, voice low but confident. "The court has suffered a catastrophic defeat. And now, in Luoyang, a woman has given birth to twin heirs. This is a sign—the mandate is shifting. Soon, there will be two powers under Heaven."
"Zhang Xin has slaughtered tens of thousands of Wuhuan and Xianbei. They only submitted out of fear. Now that he is gone, if you raise the banner, they will surely flock to you."
"When you ascend the throne, I shall serve as your general."
Zhang Ju hesitated. "Even so… if the mandate truly shifts, someone worthy will rise. How could it be me?"
Zhang Chun waved his hand dismissively. "Did Kuai Tong not warn the Marquis of Huaiyin? 'If you refuse what Heaven offers, you will suffer the consequences; if you fail to act when the time comes, disaster will follow.' You know how that ended."
"The mandate now lies with the Zhang family. We take Yuyang first, then Jixian, and Youzhou will be ours. With its armies, we march south, seize Jizhou, and follow the path of Emperor Guangwu—unify Hebei, then the world!"
"Good!"
Zhang Ju leapt to his feet, fired with ambition. For a brief moment, he looked every bit a ruler in the making.
Then, just as quickly, his confidence faltered.
"But… there are still a thousand county troops in Yuyang. And Gao Shun's men are no ordinary soldiers. Not to mention the Yellow Turbans in Xincheng…"
Zhang Chun smiled. "I've already planned for that."
"Oh?" Zhang Ju leaned forward eagerly.
"It's simple," Zhang Chun said. "We have Zhang Fang assassinate Gu Yong. As a clerk, he can approach him without suspicion."
"Once Gu Yong is dead and we seize the prefect's seal, the county troops will naturally submit."
"And the Yellow Turbans? I hear Zhang Xin has taken Zhang Jiao's daughter into his household. If we control her, they won't dare resist."
Zhang Ju's doubts vanished completely.
"Brother, with you, I have nothing to fear!"
The thought of becoming emperor made his hands tremble with excitement.
"When do we act?"
"Tomorrow," Zhang Chun replied. "I'll inform Zhang Fang at once. Once Yuyang falls, the Wuhuan and Xianbei will have no reason to hesitate—they will submit to us willingly."
"Then we proceed as planned."
—
Soon after, a servant slipped quietly out of a side gate of the Zhang residence and made his way toward the prefectural office.
Late that night, as Gu Yong slept, the window suddenly creaked open.
A shadow slipped inside.